Chair Chen: Okay. Thank you. Moving on to Item C for action, a Request
for Motion to Approve and Adopt the News Release Policy* and then
we can discuss. So, can I have a motion, please?
Silva: So move.
Lilly: You made a motion?
Silva: I said so move.
Lilly: Second.
*The Motion to Approve and Adopt refers to the document labeled as
OPEN-7 in the meeting materials for the 6/24/15 meeting that you
requested and were provided to you earlier today. The media policy that

was passed at today’s meeting is OPEN-7 in the meeting materials we
gave you today.
Chair Chen: Okay. So, we can discuss. There’s two policies actually. One
proposed by the Commission staff and then one that Commissioner
Amano, I believe yesterday distributed?
Amano: Yeah.
Lilly: Which was that one?
Amano: Open to—
Seumori: Is that this one?
Chair Chen: Looks the same; yeah.
EDLC Totto: It says “Draft Honolulu Ethics Commission Media Policy” on
the top.
Chair Chen: And then the one with the logo is the staff one.
Suemori: That one I don’t have.
Chair Chen: This one you don’t have; okay. So, Commissioner Amano
would you like just to talk us through your proposal?
Amano: Well, I set out a policy for the statement which follows, I think
which tracked our mission and tracks everything we have out there
including in website. And then I set out, I researched some different
kinds of media policies but I thought this was the best compilation of a
good procedure. You know, our media interaction is very, very
important. Because once you put it out there it’s almost like digital.
It’s not gonna go away. We have to be careful with how we put it out
there and what we put out there. And, I think it’s very important to
have people vote proactive and reactive because sometimes we do get if
someone else said something rather or something has become
newsworthy, and we feel the need to react.

But other times we have a lot of important information that we want to get
out there, so I hope this policy would cover both kinds of activities. It’s
very general. I think it’s pretty clear, and I try to blend in what the staff
had proposed which you see in Item No. 6 and also Item No. 5.
Chair Chen: So, what do you think of this (inaudible) differences between
yours and the staff’s version?
Amano: The biggest difference is that we before we have a media release of
any kind, which would be the responsibility of our executive director, it
would be reviewed with our Chair from the Commission, if possible. If
time does not permit that then there’s another way to do it. It’s in the
policy as well. That’s the biggest difference.
Chair Chen: Okay. I didn’t quite understand No. 2, which was “under no
circumstances shall any media, communication engage, etc., etc., etc.,
or interpret or comment on any decisions or advisory opinions. I just
wonder about under no circumstances to air concerns (inaudible)
regarding the operations of the Ethics Commission. If that’s maybe too
broad because, I guess, how practical is that? Operations of the Ethics
Commission could be—
Suemori: But it concerns of grievances.
Chair Chen: Yeah. I mean, it could just even be like this is the budget and
you wouldn’t be able to comment on the budget.
Suemori: I don’t think publicly. Should we publicly?
Chair Chen: Well, I think that for example when there’s council meetings and
they have people go and talk about budget or whatever the case may be.
I’m just wondering if that’s just so broad, is it practical? What’s the
purpose behind that is just to make sure—
Suemori: It’s a boundary.

Amano: Yeah.
Chair Chen: So, I guess, this is under no circumstances at all? It seems, does
it seem particularly practical—
Suemori: It’s under no circumstances how any media communications. So,
it’s media communication. If he’s in the City Council and the Council
is having a meeting and the media is there. That’s a media
communication. That’s a communication with the Council that’s being
covered by the media. But it’s not media communication. It’s not
directly saying, “here, this is what I’m saying.” He’s doing it it the
Council, Mayor, whatever or us.
I think it’s just, I mean, I think a boundary to not submit to the newspaper or
the TV a bitch about A, B or C is not a good thing. Unless, you guys
agree, disagree. We should go into the media and submit our bitch.
But, I don’t think so.
Lilly: I don’t know. First of all, I don’t what that is, and I don’t—
Suemori: There isn’t any.
Lilly: …how to define it.
Suemori: That’s why I’m just saying. We just want to boundary or should
we have no boundary?
Lilly: That’s why really Judge Amano’s initial suggestion do we have a
policy and that’s what they had worked up a draft.
Suemori: Right.
Lilly: Now, judge has a different (inaudible). I’m concerned about 2. 2
seems—I’d be hard pressed if I was in Chuck’s position to figure it out
when it was I couldn’t talk with the media or not when given No. 2.
Secondly, and I don’t mind the idea that if he’s going to issue a press
release that he contact A, B or me or if we’re not around somebody on

the Commission to look at the press release. To me I don’t think that’s
bad. But this one about them (inaudible) about getting prior written
approval—
Amano: That’s anybody else; not him. The authorization comes from him, if
it’s anybody else but him.
Lilly: Oh. So, okay. So, we don’t communicate and the staff dosen’t—
Amano: If we decide that an Ethics Commissioner, Mr. Silva, for instance is
the appropriate person to speak on something that we want to notify the
public about then that’s a decision that all of us make together or the
EDLC makes. Then he just gives a written authorization to Mr. Silva
and he goes out and does it.
Suemori: So we don’t have four Commissioners all talking their
opinions and going to the media.
Amano: Yeah. It’s controlled and it’s controlled by the EDLC.
Lilly: Is it a written approval or can they call Acadia, say, “hey, I got
contacted by Keoki Kerr, what do I do?”
Seumori: I think you should have written (inaudible) to protect him. What if
she says, “well, I was (inaudible)”. For him, I think we should cover
that.
Amano: Because we have a written policy, it’s better that we have clear
record of what transpired and that its gone through the procedure. We
leave it all in Chuck’s hands.
Lilly: Does the email constitute written communication?
Amano: Yeah, sure, why not.
Suemori: Texting does.

Lilly: Texting.
Lilly: I don’t care for Item 2.
Suemori: That’s another thing. So, then—
Amano: Well, there’s two parts to Item 2.
Suemori: Any circumstances (inaudible).
Amano: So, it’s really (inaudible) concerns and grievances regarding the
commission. That’s really what it is.
Chair Chen: So, the interpreter comment on under no circumstances to
interpret or comment.
Amano: Yeah, that’s a separate issue. Interpret or comment on our decisions
or advisory opinions. Those have to speak for themselves. That’s why
I put it under that way.
Marks: And that tracks what the staff drafted, right?
Amano: Yeah, what we approve.
Marks: Yeah. Staff should refrain from interpreting the opinion.
Chair Chen: Yeah. But I don’t think that goes as far as to say under no
circumstances can you comment.
Suemori: Not you, him.
Chair Chen: Right.
Silva: Well, he won’t be able comment on a advisory—
Suemori: The court decides to issue the decision—your opinion on your
decision.

Lilly: That’s judges, that’s different. We’re not judge here. This is a Ethics
Commission whose responsibility among other things is to educate the
public and other employees about ethics rules and our advisory
opinions are geared not only educate the public but other employees of
the City and to be used by us in the future when a similar matter comes
up because our advisory opinions track prior opinions.
Amano: All those things are exactly the same as judicial opinions.
Suemori: Yeah.
Lilly: But for him not able to comment on—
Seumori: On his own opinion?
Lilly: On opinions issued by the Commission.
Suemori: What if he says, “I don’t agree with that one.”
Lilly: No, no he’s bound by it.
Suemori: But what if he comments that he’s not.
Amano: But to me comment sometimes is elaboration and that’s not what
you want when you issue an advisory opinion. It has to speak for itself.
Suemori: Yeah, I agree.
Lilly: When an advisory opinion is issued that has City wide concern that the
media may want to have somebody explain. I mean, that’s what they
do.
Chair Chen: He couldn’t clarify, he couldn’t answer any questions.

Lilly: No. The opinion stands for itself, but the media goes to some
knowledgeable person and says, “what does this opinion mean?” Can
you give us—
Suemori: Can he just write it?
Lilly: Pardon?
Suemori: He wrote it, right?
Lilly: But the media is not only—They would like to have a person like in
the visual one, like Keoki is over thereSuemori: So if he said that, he issues an opinion, he gets—
Lilly: We issue the opinion.
Suemori: But his written it and so next comes up. So, Keoki comes up and
he says, “well, what do you think about this?” It’s now printed in the
newspaper. Next time over is that (inaudible)?
Lilly: No.
Seumori: What is it?
Lilly: The opinion speaks for itself. Keoki doesn’t want to just put up the
opinion. He wants to have somebody explain it.
Amano: Why should it be—
Suemori: Why should it be explained?
Lilly: Because it got members of the public.
Amano: No. But why should it be our executive director?
Lilly: Why shouldn’t it be?

Amano: Because we issued the opinion and it needs to stand within its own
parameters.
Lilly: Right.
Amano: Otherwise down the road you got someone who will come and say,
“here’s the advisory opinion, yes, but here’s what was added to it
afterwards.”
Lilly: No, it’s not—
Suemori: Right.
Chair Chen: No, I—
Lilly: No, I don’t buy that.
Amano: Why?
Lilly: Because the opinion is the one that governs. The comment to the
public is merely explanatory, but—
Amano: Okay. We’re going to have a difference of opinion on that.
Suemori: Yeah, we’re going to have a difference of opinion.
EDLC Totto: Well, let me give you a simple example. Can I pick on Keoki?
The Commission renders an advisory opinion, and if it is all interesting
to the media or public, the next day I will get a call saying, “well does
this mean for people with the City?” So, I explain well, :in future they
won’t be able to do X, Y.Z. So, have I violated this?
Suemori: Is that an opinion, sir?
EDLCT Totto: I don’t know—the opinion will probably say, it may or may
not say that. I don’t to interpret your opinions other than to give people

advice, right? Because that’s what we do. That’s part of our job is take
whatever the opinion is and say, “okay, based on that opinion, is
probably, here’s the advice for you.” And this facts may or may not be
totally similar but we use the statutes and the charter and the prior
precedent to do that. Whatever I say to the media has absolutely no
legal affect at all. I mean, I can’t imagine, and if you thought it did
then reprimand me or put whatever you think is appropriate.
Amano: It’s too late.
Milks: I have a question?
EDLC Totto: Can I finish. I’m sorry, I just want to finish the example here.
So, if any reporter asks me, “what does this mean if for City
employees. I’m asking you, under your policy is that something I can
respond to or not?
Amano: No.
Chair Chen: Under the policy you can respond under any circumstances. I
guess, I feel that defects one of our primary purposes which is to
educate the public. If you can’t explain or anything or comment any
way to media inquiries about an opinion, then I think that diminished
our ability as a commission to educate the public on ethics. And, I
think that’s a disservice.
Lilly: I agree.
EDLC Totto: Also we have a current policy, “Procedures for Handling
Request for Advice and Complaints.” And that was passed in 2006.
And part of it says, “the news media often asks for opinions whether
the conduct of an individual violates the ethics laws.” The policy of the
Commission is that no comment should made to the media or third
parties on matters that may come before the Commission as a result of
a request for advice or complaint.

However, when asked by a member of the media, the Commission or staff
may describe generally the ethics laws and issues that may be relative
to the conduct of an officer or employee.
So, if we adopt this new news policy, I think we’d have to take a very serious
look at the old policy that we’ve been operating under for several years.
Amano: Doesn’t appear to be contradictory to me.
EDLC Totto: Okay.
Marks: I had a question? In the staff’s policy and procedures regarding
news releases, it says “a new release about formal advisory opinions,
staff should reframe from interpreting the opinion.” So, what did you
mean by that?
EDLC Totto: By that mean, I didn’t mean to that we couldn’t apply it to
future issues or other examples, but that we should not be saying “what
did the Commission—was there a split on this issue or why is it written
it this way and not another way?” And that type of thing. Because that,
I think that’s the part of the opinion that should never be discussed with
anybody else. But in terms of saying, Mr. Z is found to have violated
the ethics law and then taking that and later whether it’s the media or
whomever asks, I think would be okay to say, “well, we had this case, it
was very similar to what you were saying, so this is what I think would
happen. But, of course, you want to go to the Commission for formal
opinion and so on.” So, I appreciate that point, maybe it should be
more clarified as to what that was meant.
And, also I have to say, you know, “should” is a weasel word. And, there
might be circumstances where the interpretation occurs. But to me
whatever, if anybody asks, and I do get questions, where somebody will
ask, “what is the reason that the Commission decided to that?” Or Or is
the reason because they got another case coming down the line or
they’re worried by Mr. So and So’s conduct or something like that.

That would be totally prohibited from my point of view. Whether any of that
was discussed by the Commission, it’s not in the opinion, and I do
think the opinion has to stand for itself, and the people should review
the opinion if they want to get the full effect of what’s been stated by
the Commission.
Lilly: If there was an opinion here as to a particular City employee that
violated X, and the media asks you, “well, what does that mean for
other employees? What does that mean?” And, you say, “well, my
interpretation with the Commission did. I don’t know what the
Commission will do in some future, but my interpretation based on
what the Commission did in this case. If other employees engage in X,
Y and Z, there may be ethics violations.” Now what’s wrong with that?
EDLC Totto: It’s kind of a bases of an informal advisor opinion anyway.
That’s what I’m looking it.
Amano: I don’t find that to be interpretation.
Chair Chen: Okay. Well, that is certainly a comment. That’s a comment.
Lilly: He’s extrapolating.
Chair Chen: The way it reads now, he can’t make any comment. He can’t say
anything.
Amano: Well, you know, all I can do is put out proposal. I do not have the
experiences that Chuck has already had, so this is somewhat in a
vacuum. I did it in the biggest broadest sense, because I believe that
we need to have some parameters, and my background is in the
judiciary. I prepared it, and it make sense to me. So, it’s not like we’re
not out there educating the public, we will, but there is a process for it.
We have training, we have other things we will be using, our advisory
opinions in the trainings. Obviously, you can’t just put it out there and
expect the attendees to review the opinion. You’re gonna need to say,
“here was this case, this is what it did, and this is the prohibited
activity. Is that a comment? Absolutely.” But it is constrained to the

actual parameters of the opinion itself. You’re not going beyond that.
There’s always a danger.
Lilly: Okay. If I understand what you’re saying, and I can understand that.
His interpretation of what this opinion means as to this employee, the
opinion speaks for itself.
Silva: Right.
Amano: Or even future conduct.
Lilly: But, if you apply this, my interpretation of this, and it’s certainly
subject to future facts and whatever the Commission may do,
(inaudible), but my interpretation is if other employee, City employees
engage in these sorts of conduct, they can have an ethics violation,
right? And you’re saying that’s not an interpretation.
Amano: I’m saying it’s precedence, and he’s informing them, ‘here’s the
precedence. This is what it stands for.”
Lilly: Okay. Maybe to shorten this, I recommend that if you take the two
recognizing what we’re talking about in terms—Because, I think the
way it’s written now judge is, I think it’s ambiguous of whether what I
just described was interpretation.
Amano: Okay. But right now we have nothing. So—
Lily: And it’s more like an application. What I’m saying is an application
not an interpretation.
Suemori: If you were to send this back to be tweaked,, could we do
something with that word “should”—
Chair Chen: Where?
Suemori: In No. 1 staff. Chuck corrected it’s a weasel word.

Lilly: Should refrain.
Suemori: I don’t care what word you use, but don’t use “should” because
“should” is a useless word.
Chair Chen: Well, I guess—
Suemori: Let him decide, figure it out.
Chair Chen: Well, are we working off of Commissioner Amano’s—
Lilly: Take the two, recognize what the concerns are. I hear that the
Commission doesn’t have a concern about you taking an opinion and
explaining how it might apply potentially to other employees, right?
Silva: That’s what he does at his training.
Marks: Sure.
Lilly: For me, I don’t want you constraining from being to do that, but I
think what the judge is telling me is they don’t want you to go too far in
interpreting what this particular opinion is because it speaks for itself.
Amano: We’re also dealing with different formats. It’s one thing to deal with
a room full of trainees. It’s a whole another thing to get all the media
and say this thing and then it’s subject to your comments are subject to
further interpretation by whoever else. And, I don’t think it’s beyond,
you know, possibility, if not probability that a lawyer is going to grab
the whole thing and say, “this is how this opinion ought to be
interpreted.” And, you could make a mistake. Once it’s gone it’s gone.
Suemori: And, I know the attorneys that would.
Lilly: I wonder if there’s any (inaudible) of the public who have any
comment? Comments?
Chair Chen: Commissioner Silva had a—

Silva: Let’s see his interpretation first. He’s with the media.
Mr. Kerr: Hi, I’m Keoki Kerr from Hawaii News Now.
Chair Chen: I had no idea.
Silva: We didn’t recognize you.
Mr. Kerr: I didn’t actually come here to testify, but I did feel compelled to
speak about it because we’ve been dealing with Chuck for many years.
And, I think what it comes down to is trust. I mean, you, as
Commissioners have hired somebody to be the executive director. He is
not a Commissioner, and sure what he says is not the final decision, the
written decision. He is in so many ways the very important bully
pulpit, if you well, for the Ethics Commission, which is frankly
beleaguered in staff and in budget and sometimes doesn’t have the teeth
that it would like to have. Yet, I see the important education role is to
allow him the leeway to talk about these issues as Commissioner Lilly
talked about broadening the month.
So, it’s not just about Mr. Jones’ case we’re talking about, right? Often what
we’re interested, we may be interested because Mr. Jones is a high
ranking City official and that’s juicy and interesting, but it has a
broader effect that Mr. Jones got in trouble here, but the important thing
is that all City employees cannot do this on the job or whatever the
issue is. And that’s often why we need that kind of interpretation and
that is really fulfilling. I think the mission of this Commission is to
raise the awareness of ethics in City government and for the citizens of
Oahu and by giving us the leeway to talk to him and expand slightly
not intruding or obviously reinterpreting or misinterpreting a decision
but he’s broadening it and making, brining it down to earth, because
that’s what we’re trying to do, right?
Sometimes these opinions, and I’ve covered many of them for many years are
very detailed. They’re very, very lengthy and we have to boil it down
to a very simple to understand, you know, decision, right? And, so

that’s often why we go to Chuck because sometimes they’re legalistic.
They’re long and involved, and we want somebody to boil it down, and
say, “why should we care? Why should the public care about this
decision, Chuck? What effect does this going to have now? What does
it mean that bus drivers are going have to do from now? And whatever
the issue might be. And that’s where, I think it serves the greater
purpose of this Commission is to help us boil these cases down to
important nuggets of information that we want the tax payers to know,
and you want those public employees to know that this is the way their
conduct is, they must conduct themselves or they must not conduct
themselves. So, I think you have to be careful about putting all these
constraints on your executive director.
You know, frankly, he has been, he’s always been extremely, inspite of my
record of trying to grab all kinds of things when you’re not supposed to
tell me, he’s been very, very good about, you know, explaining I can’t
talk to you about it. This is an active investigation or whatever the case
may be. We have other ways of finding out different things because
people are brought in for questioning or whatever. We may do our own
independent work. But the fact is Chuck always make sure everyone’s
rights are protected and the process is protected, and that’s very
important, you know.
But also it’s important that you generate, I think, you generate discussion on
these issues because, I think from covering government for many years,
you know, a lot of people tend to look at the other way. And the
important thing is that we don’t look the other way when there’s a
problem and we address them. And if the executive director is allowed
to do that without these constraints, worry that, “oh, no, am I going
come a foul of this restriction?” It’s hard enough to get us really these
days, there’s not enough coverage of government, and ethics and
government, I think. And, frankly, the things I’m hearing about in this
version, it just makes me scared it’s going to even harder for us to get
those kind of quotations if executive director is put under these
constraints. It’s like “oh, no, I’m going to be directed to an opinion and
I have to quote some 27-page thing, really?” That’s not really what’s
going on these days, right? Especially in broadcast media. You want

somebody to try interpret a real human, not just a document. You
know, this is not a court. This is the supreme court. This is not the
ICA, this is not the circuit court. I know a lot of you have that
experience but, you know, it’s a different ball of wax. As
Commissioner Lilly said, this is not a court. And his decisions are not
going to be appealed to the Supreme Court, and he’s merely helping the
public to understand. And, I think that’s really important, so I would
caution you about any kind of restrictions.
But, I thank you. I don’t know if you have any questions?
Chair Chen: Thank you very much.
Lilly: Does anybody here have any concerns about the way in which Keoki
has expressed, the kinds of things the media—To me, getting the
information out if it is valuable when the media covers an opinion that
may just be sterile opinion that we file away and no employee ever sees
it because it’s not out there other than may be in an ethics training, but
if it’s important enough that the media is interested in, now it gets
publication out to a lot of employees maybe on the line and may not
stop violating ethics because they heard that “X” got dinged for what
I’m doing.
Marks: Yeah. I have a comment, and, I think it’s a follow-up to what we
discussed last meeting and that is these advisory opinion should not be
100-page supreme court ruling they ought to be made under shorter
understandable in English so that the average City employee doesn’t
have to read a tone to know what it is, doesn’t have to have legal
training to understand it, and that if it is so lengthy then the
Commission ought to have a press release with it that’s a paragraph or
something so that everybody understands and it should be done at once
and make things more understandable for the employees of the City and
County.
Mr. Kerr: I think they have. I mean, that’s what they do especially for some
large cases, you have done that, right, in the past. And that is very
helpful and there will be that sort of general interpretation that doesn’t

stray from the legal (inaudible) or whatever of that much longer
decision because as you know the layers on the other side often throw
all kinds of things in there, and so they do have to be addressed and
sometimes it’s not just that they’re wordy, these guys love to write
many pages. All these issues and these smoke screens brought up by
people trying to defend strange behavior by politicians or by City
employees.
And, so we do appreciate it. That’s a great idea, but they are doing that
already for some major cases they have done that. For a lot of routine
cases, I don’t think they do that, but they will send out a news release
which does summarize the basic facts and sometimes does have a
quotation into, I believe, from Chuck talking about the greater
implications which does help us immensely and, you’re right, helps
boils it down for the public employees. Because that’s what it is about
raising awareness and letting them know, “hey, we’re out there.” You
know what, we’re on to this and this is not to be allowed. And you
better think twice if you’re doing the same kind of thing, I think that’s
important for people to know that you guys are all here. You give so
much of your time. They’re all volunteers. This is a lot of work.
Amano: What, we volunteer?
Mr. Kerr: But we want your, all your hard work, all the hard work that you do
for your bottle of water over there. Right, we want to get out and get
noticed as much as possible. I don’t think, we, the media covers these
issues enough because there aren’t enough resources anymore. There’s
aren’t enough reporters to do these kind of things.
So, that’s why, again, any kind of awareness that you can bring which
involves new releases you talked about, but also involves giving us
access and giving us somebody to talk to us to help us interpret this.
And, also to help us. You know when we’re wrong because I’ve had
some great discussion with Chuck where I go, “oh, well, this is clearly.
Oh, this is so sleazy, it’s terrible.” And, he’ll say, “wait a minute, you
know, you have to take all this into consideration here and, you know,
there could be a possible explanation, and we’ve had this kind of thing

happen before. So, he really helps us, you know, to make the story fair
and accurate and not just sort of go after somebody unfairly too.
I’ve had those kind of discussion with him before because of his lengthy
experience in this issue. It’s been tremendous, and I would be very sad
if that kind of access. If he was so scared of even talking to me on
background on an issue. Because I feel like my stories wouldn’t be as
good, as complete and as fair without that kind of give-and-take which
is really important. But, I’ll stop talking now. I appreciate your time.
Amano: Well, I appreciate your comments. Very, very helpful.
Mr. Kerr: Yeah, sure. Thank you. Thank you all for your service and for all
you do. So, we really appreciate Ethics Commissions all over state and
county. And there’s one meeting today with Billy Kenoi over on the
Big Island.
Lilly: The Ethics Commission apparently deferred.
Mr. Kerr: Thank you, guys, but it’s nice to talk to you. Good to see you all.
Silva: Going back to where I was (inaudible). I come from a more religious
background, so consequently I know about all of the interpretations so
to speak of scripture or whatever. There’s so many, and so the same
thing here we hold here as an Ethics Commission. We should be
holding the public’s trust.
And, if you read through media newspaper, TV, whatever today, the general
public has a kind of a low priority on government right now. And,
whether it’s national or local, state, whatever. And, so, basically our
job, therefore, our main purpose is to improve, maintain the public’s
confidence in government officials and employees. That’s basically
what we need to do. Just looking at situations as they come along,
whether this is right or whether this is wrong.
I mean, there’s all kinds interpretations as law (inaudible). Because you’re
basically lawyers and attorneys and have you, judges. But basically

that’s how we have to look at is what will the public think about what
we conducted here today.
Is it a good thing or is it a bad thing. And sometimes things get shaded
gray, right?
Suemori: What I was going to say, you know, follow-up to Commissioner
Marks is that it was set last month when we got an advisory opinion.
We got sort of like bogged out, the purpose of the advisory opinion and,
I think—that’s how we got out of this.
Chair Chen: That was in executive session.
EDLC Totto: Yeah. I think it’s okay to talk about it generally.
Suemori: We’re just talking about general.
EDLC Totto: Yeah, without the—
Suemori: And that’s right. So then what happens is we wanted to have—if
we were going to use an opinion for the public then we actually really
need to make it a (inaudible) as opposed to 40-page, 80-page whatever.
And if actually you know you can’t say anything in five pages, don’t
say anything.
Silva: Can’t say nothing good about—
Suemori: Yeah. You got to be real clear, and I don’t know because I think
there was a review of what is the purpose of an advisory opinion.
We’re not doing that now, but how we’re going to communicate that to
be fair to everybody, which is the parties, the public, the media and
everything. And that is a challenge of how you draft and how you
write. And it takes a lot of thoughtful word use. And, so we were just
kind of—that opinion was not the longest but it was long, that’s all.
Lilly: I think he’s cut in half.

Suemori: So, now we’re at 24.
Amano: I think it’s five or six.
Chair Chen: So, we had a suggestion to look at 3rd version addressing some of
the issues that were raised today and to reflect—
Suemori: The discussion.
Chair Chen: …the discussion; yes. SoAmano: For the record, I’m not married to any of this except the procedure
of some kind with some parameters. I think it’s a good idea to look at
all the concepts, put something out there that’s workable incorporating
Mr. Kerr’s concerns as well, which are equally important. I ask that we
keep the policy that I articulated which mirrors exactly what our
achievement is. I took it right off pretty much of our website. So, I
know we should have something to guide us in our working with the
media. If you make a mistake or we make a mistake of some kind, it’s
very, very difficult once it’s out.
So, if we have a process that we can follow that would be helpful, and I don’t
have any problem with changing this so that it gives the leewayr that’s
necessary to do the job.
Chair Chen: Okay.
Suemori: I was just going to say if you’re going to have policy, have a policy
or don’t have a policy and call it a purpose. And the staff one, it says
we have a policy and there’s never anything else, but there is a purpose
so we always mention it. So absurd.
Amano: But, thank you for at least hearing it out.
Chair Chen: Okay. So, do we need a motion to move it forward that way or
—

Amano: I think you table this motion, and we’ll take it up at the next
meeting.
Chair Chen: Okay.
Lilly: You got enough guys?
EDLC Totto: Yes.